1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for monitoring the contents of containers and of trucks. More particularly, the present invention relates to an X-ray monitoring installation for monitoring the contents of containers and of trucks.
2. Description of the Related Art
Theft and smuggling of motor vehicles, primarily of luxury-class passenger cars, is becoming an increasingly relevant economic factor.
Studies by agencies have shown that many vehicles are packaged into containers or standard trucks and are smuggled out of a country. Since it is difficult and time-consuming to check trucks and containers, the number of detected crimes of this sort is small.
One solution for detecting such cargo is container radiation systems that have been commercially available for a few years. However, one essential aspect in detecting such cargo is to produce the best possible image for examining whether a particular cargo in general corresponds to an associated shipping list. Of course, it is simultaneously possible to discover certain smuggled goods in this process.
The drawback of these presently available installations is a high cost because of the present technology for obtaining good images (such as the use of high X-ray energy, for example, 2-10 MeV); a relatively low throughput (approximately 25 trucks/h) because protective measures such as gates, an autonomic transport system without a driver, and the prerequisite of large surfaces by shielding measures are required; and the required infrastructure.